Christmas Markets 29 November 2019

It’s a squash and a squeeze in the centre of Manchester on a Friday evening at just after five o’clock. Commuters going home mingle with families and groups of friends coming into town for a bit of festive fun. It’s proper winter cold, too, though there isn’t a wind so it’s bearable. Anyway, singing keeps you warm or at least takes your mind off the weather. We’re lucky – it’s been a week of mainly rain.  

There we all are, wrapped up warm, some with trademark purple hats, purple tinsel and fairy lights.

People stop to listen.  The old familiar carols are popular: Away in a Manger, Hark the Herald, Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Once in Royal David’s City and Silent Night. We enjoy as well White Christmas, Hail Smiling Morn and Holly Jolly. We finish with Carol of the Bells.  

Then there are pancakes, strudel, mulled wine and hot chocolate laced with brandy.  Well, why not; it’s less than month to Christmas after all. 

And there will be a repeat performance on 17 December, same time same place - 5.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. St Anne’s Square, Manchester.       

Christmas Market 1 22 November 2016

It’s always fun to be around the Manchester Christmas Markets. The Gluhwein and hot chocolate are tempting. Do they make us sing better though? Well my paternal grandfather used to go round the Black Country pubs, playing his fiddle and singing and he used to swear a by gargling red wine before he set out. My own father recommended this to me. 

“It’s all right, love,” he said. “You can swallow it if you want to.”   

Some was definitely swallowed tonight.   

Anyway, there we all were, dressed like Christmas trees in our purple tinsel, hats and fairy lights. It seemed to work. The hot chocolate can be a bit too milky sometimes, but it didn’t seem to do any harm; the general public stopped and listened and even clapped. 

Mind you, Jeff needs to be a bit careful. A little lad in a yellow jacket and hat almost did him out of a job. The same little lad’s finger clicking was spot on in Holly Jolly. 

Yes, it was good fun despite it being a little damp and cool. 

Then it was back to Ordsall for an almost full rehearsal of our other repertoire.

We’ll be back, though:

Tuesday 29 November 5.30 – 7.00 Brazenose Street

Sunday 4 December 12.30 Whitworth Art Gallery Frost Fest Food and Drink

Tuesday 13 December 4.00-5.30 St Ann’s Square.